1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to edible compositions having a unique, long-lasting, cooling perception which provides the user with a significantly enhanced perception of breath-freshening without bitterness and more particularly to chewing gum compositions and confectionery compositions which provide a long-lasting, breath freshening perception without bitterness.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well reoognized that one of the purposes of chewing gum and confectionery products is to enhance one,s breath and provide a clean, cool, fresh feeling in the mouth. Most products can provide at least marginal enhancement of the breath for the first few minutes while the flavor is the most intense, but lack the ability to maintain such perception for long periods of time, that is times up to about 30 minutes.
Chewing gums in particular have not been able to deliver to the user sufficient flavor such that there is a perceived breath-freshening effect which is sustained over a long period of time. In some instances, the incorporation of greater than normal amounts of mint flavor have been attempted to induce the breath-freshening effect, but harsh and bitter tones often result. Such bitterness has been attributed to the presence of menthol when either used alone or when present in the flavor oil. Harsh tones, of course, are unacceptable to the consumer, who requires an organoleptically pleasing taste. Larger amounts of flavor are also a disadvantage in that the oils tend to plasticize the gum base, thereby altering the texture and consistency of the chewing gum product. In non-stick chewing gum compositions, flavor plasticization of the gum base can defeat the non-stick character, rendering the gum unacceptable to denture and prosthesis wearers. For these reasons, the simple addition of higher levels of mint flavor will not provide a satisfactory chewing gum having enhanced breath-freshening.
Numerous patents have discussed the combination of flavor oils and flavor powders to increase flavor impact and extend the taste over a prolonged period of time. Such techniques as encapsulation of flavors and sweeteners to provide time release are commonly used to achieve prolonged effects and sequential delivery of the flavor or sweetener.
The patents which do address the concept of breath-freshening often focus on the incorporation of an additive which serves as a deodorizer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,525,072 discloses chewing gums containing inorganic silicone and magnesium powders which serve as absorbents of malodor. U.S. Pat. No. 2,922,747 discloses the use of chlorophyll, vegetable oils (lipids) and lecithin as effective deodorants in tablets and chewing gum compositions.
Canadian Pat. No. 989,738 discloses a wafer containing cetylidimethylbenzylammonium chloride and peppermint oil as a means for providing residual breath-sweetening in the mouth. In contrast U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,066 discloses breath-freshening compositions containing calcium and magnesium carbonate in combination with copper gluconate in a mint flavored tablet. Whereas French Demande 2,127,005 discloses reodorizing compositions containing 10-2000 ppm alpha-ionone, alpha-methylionone, citral or geranyl formate as a means of masking odors.
Besides these approaches, U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,151 entitled "Chewing Gum Compositions Having Prolonged Breath-Freshening", concerns a mint flavored chewing gum composition capable of providing improved breath-freshening perception comprising a blend of 1) a liquid flavor oil selected from the group consisting of spearmint oil, peppermint oil and mixtures thereof, wherein the flavor oil has a menthol content of about 27% to about 36% by weight of said flavor oil; 2) a spray-dried flavor oil selected from the group consisting of peppermint oil and spearmint oil and mixtures thereof; and 3) spray-dried menthol present in amounts of about 0.2 to about 0.75% by weight of the chewing gum composition. This invention focused on mint-flavored gums and confectionery, i.e., peppermint, spearmint and combinations thereof, because of their association with the cooling sensation in the mouth and their ability to be combined with menthol to produce a sustained cooling sensation and fresh impact.
In addition to these procedures, U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,163 discloses the formation of a compound having the property of stimulating the cold receptors of the nervous system to produce cold sensations which compounds are disclosed for use in a variety of edible and topical preparations. The compounds disclosed are N-substituted-p-menthane-3-carboxamides which are the same compounds used by Applicants in the present invention.